Shred Club founder Ron Johnson “RJ” was born & raised in Del Mar, CA when “hippie kids” roamed the streets barefoot with their dogs off leash. Growing up with a waterman older brother, Bob, & living 3 blocks from the beach, he was drawn to the ocean immediately. He soon followed his brother daily to the beach & starting surfing @ 6 years old in 1969. His brother pushed him to skin dive, body surf, body board & surf many different boards ranging from 10’ log longboards to 4’11” fishes.

At age 14, he began his competitive amateur surfing career by winning his age group in the infamous Del Mar City Surf Contest. He went on to win his age group for 3 consecutive years after that. Being pushed by older mentors like his brother, Jim LIscher (Del Mar City Lifeguard Lieutenant?) & Darold Nogle (TPHS surf team coach) he surfed competitively during his high school years. He’s a founding member & 1st team captain of the prestigious 1978-1981 TPHS surf team where he was the #1 rated surf team member from his Freshmen year to his Senior year. Surfing in the newly formed NSSA amateur circuit, he was the #2 rated surfer in San Diego County, #3 rated surfer in California & finished in the top 15 in the National championships. In addition, he was the team captain of the 1980-81 TPHS basketball team.

After high school, he took a year off from school to surf professionally & competed in the PSAA (CA tour) & local ProAMs. During this time, he started travelling more to surf warmer destinations in Mexico & tired of the competitive surf world after tasting warm perfect surf. He returned to college & soon after help bring back to existence the Del Mar Surf Club in the 1980’s where once again he was the club’s #1 rated surfer for his age group & served as the club’s treasurer. In 1987, he received his BA degree from SDSU in International Economics with emphasis in Latin America. Ron is proficient in Spanish.

RJ has since travelled to surf many locations in the continental US, Canada, South America, Central America, Hawaii, Indonesia & his favorite Mexico where he has “scoured” the coasts of Baja Ca & mainland Mexico. He has a residence in San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico.